Multiviewers are video platforms that can be used for a wide range of video and broadcast applications. With the increasing shift to digital video formats, multiviewers are becoming a tool of ever-increasing importance for video engineers and technicians. Multiviewers provide users with the ability to view real-time multiple images in various pre-configured displays.
One exemplary multiviewer system is the DX series Multiviewers from the present assignee Harris Corp. The DX series Multiviewers deliver modular configurations for 4, 8, 12 or 16 SDI or composite inputs, with auto detect of NTSC, PAL or SDI formats. Composite, component, SDI and line doubled VGA outputs provide customers with a wide range of flexible display options. Front panel controls and remote control via RS-232/422 provide the user with the ability to view real-time multiple images in various pre-configured displays. Optional software allows the user configuration of displays, and multi-system control, while options also exist for in-picture audio monitoring of SDI embedded audio. Standard alarm features include loss of video sync, black picture & frozen picture detection.
Another exemplary multiviewer system is the 7767VIP4 signal monitoring module from the Evertz Corporation of Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The module simultaneously accepts, auto-detects, analyzes and displays four synchronous or asynchronous HD/SD/analog video signals. An additional fifth computer graphic input may be used for display of a dynamic background image.
Despite the advantages of such multiviewer systems, further enhancements may be desirable in some applications. For example, system memory constraints often impose restrictions on the number of video inputs that may be simultaneously displayed. Additionally, the ability of such systems to display added graphic content (e.g., backgrounds, indicators, etc.) along with the video inputs on the display may be encumbered by the requirement for separate inputs for such content, or for performing offline modifications to video inputs or display templates, for example.